NAME:
Amy Jo Stucker
SCHOOL:
North Forest Pines Elementary
CLASS:
Kindergarten
SCHOOL PHONE:
919-570-2220
I have a great job in the universe of occupations. What do I do? I'm a "star
polisher."
It's a very important job. If you want to know how important, just go out at
night and look at the stars twinkling and sparkling.
You see, I'm a teacher. The stars are the children in my class. My job is to
take them in - in whatever shape they come - and shine and buff them and then
send them out to take their places as bright little twinkling beacons in the
sky.
They come into my room in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes they're bent,
tarnished, dirty, crinkly and broken. Some stars are cuddly, soft and sweet.
Some stars are prickly and thorny.
As I buff, polish, train and teach my little stars, I tell them that the
world cannot do without them. I tell them they can do anything they set their
minds to do. I tell them they can be the brightest, shiniest stars in the sky
and the world will be a better place because of them.
Each night as I look at the sky, I'm reminded of my very important job and
awesome responsibility. I go and get my soft buffing cloth and my bottle of
polish in preparation for tomorrow and for my class of little stars.
-Leah Becks
I am originally from Northern Indiana and have lived in North Carolina for 7
years now. I graduated from Ball State University in Indiana with a BS
degree in Elementary Education. This will be my 8th year teaching
Kindergarten. My career is my passion.
I love spending time with my friends and family.
I Didn’t Know…
________________________________________
I didn't know that years of school and a college degree would be of little
consolation when facing a room full of bright little eyes on the
first day of school. I thought I was ready...
I didn't know that five minutes can seem like five hours when there is
idle time and an eight hour school day far too short for a
well-planned day of teaching.
I didn't know that teaching children was only a fraction of my job.
No one tells you about the conferences and phone calls, faculty meetings,
committees, paperwork and paperwork...
I didn't know that it took so long to cut out letters, draw and color
pictures,
laminate-all for those bulletin boards that were always "just there"...
I didn't know that I would become such a scavenger, and that teaching
materials would feel like pure gold in my hands...
I didn't know that an administration and co-workers that support
and help you could make such a difference...
I didn't know that there would be children that I loved and cared for
and stayed up late worrying about, who, one day,
would simply not show up.
And that I would never see them again...
I didn't know that I can't always dry little tears and mend broken hearts.
I thought I could always make a difference...
I didn't know that the sound of children's laughter could drown
out the sound of all the world's sadness...
I didn't know that children could feel so profoundly.
A broken heart knows no age.
I didn't know that a single "yes ma'am" from a disrespectful child
or a note in my desk that says "You're the best!" could make me feel like
I'm on top of a mountain and forget the valleys I forged to get there...
I never knew that after one year of teaching I would feel so much
wiser, more tired, sadder and happier, all at once.
And that I would no longer call teaching my job,
but my privilege.
The work can wait while you show the child the rainbow,
but the rainbow won't wait while you do the work. -Patricia Clafford
